Impeoyed gam hitohim hook



@einen tata ettnt @Hita CHARLES STARBUCK, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

Letters Patent No. 63,762, dated April 9, 1867.

IMPROVBD GAM HITGEING HOK.

'l'O ALI. WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, CHARLES STARBUCK, of the city of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful improvement in the hitchinghook, which I term a Cam Hochg and I do Vhereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawingamahing a part of this specification, lin which- Figure 1 is a side view of the improved hook'as connecting the ends of two straps on a strain in opposite directions. i

Figure 2, a like view of the said hook as opened for the detachment of one `of the straps; and

Figure 3, a plan view of one of the sides of the closed hook at a right angle to the side shown in iig. 1-

Like letters of reference indicating the same parts when in the di'erent figures. l

The object of my invention is to afford a hook for hitching horses, and for otherpurposes requiring facility in attaching and detaching straps, ropes, chains, &c., that will be strong, effective, and more reliable and durable as a safe bitching hook without the employment of a spring in the same. It'consists, substantially ashere- -inafter described, in the construction'and' applioationvot' a cam-lever provided at` one end with a loop or eye to correspond with a like loop or eye on' the shank end of the hook, and having its fulcrum in the said shank, so that the greater the strain or pull on the strap, rope, or chainpassig through both of the said loops, the more securely will the opening in the hook be kept closed, `and so that, while it will notbe liable to-fall open when thestrain or pull has ceased, yet it can, when necessary, be opened with the most perfect facility and ease.'

In the drawings, A is the main or sh'anked portion of the said hook, with a loop a, at its inner end; and

A the cam-lever, with a corresponding loop, a. Bis a common ring, secured to the end of one of the straps- C; and B a large loop on the end of the opposite strap C', which has both of the loops a of the` leve-rs A and A strung loosely in connection with it. The main or shank portion of the lever A of the said hitching hook has a longitudinal slot made through the middle of its shank, which opens into the loop 41 of'lthe Same, and in this slot the cam-lever A. is secured so that it will vibrate easily upon a fulcrum-pin, and tlius allow the loopsof theV said hook to be closed together, as in ligs. 1 and 3, or separated from each other, as in tig. 2. The shorter end oi`the lever A isformed so that it will fit alo-ng in the Slot in lever Awhen the hook is closed,

as in figs. 1 and 3, and at the. saine time present a curved and pointed stop, a, which firmly closes 'the open end of the hook when thestraps C and C are Ydrawn apart, and acts as a'eam in preventing the escape ofthe ringB from the hook when the straps C and C are slack'ened. l

It will be readily sce-u that a pull made on either of the straps C or C" will force the two loops al and ctf of the hook together, and consequently close the open end ofthe hook, and also keep it closed by a power proportionate to that expended iu-pulling on the straps; and that when the strain o-n the said straps is relaxed or withdrawn the simple gravitation of the whole hook together will tend to prevent the escape of the ring B; and that, independently of this gravitation, the cam or curved form-of the inner end of the lever.,A. will prevent the escape ofthe ring B, because, as the ring tends to4 press the curved end of the lever outward, it causes it to close `upon the ring, and thus prevent its escape. It will also beV seen that by slipping theloops a af" of the hook around to the longer side of the loop of the strap C', and simply separating them,` the hook will thereby be opened, as shown in g. 2, soV that the ring B canrbe dropped out or detached. from the hook.

This is a very strong and reliable hitching hoolgwhether used for bitching horses or for other-purposes, and being without any springattachment, and also exceedingly simple of construction, it is not liable to'get out of orderhy use. I Y I I wish it to be understood that I do not intend to confine -myseli` in the manufacture of this hook to the precise shape or form shown, norto the use of the straps C C', orA the ring B, because it isobvious that these attachments must be varied in material and strength, as well as form, to suit the various purposes for which the hook may he required. But having fully described my improvement in the hitchinghook, what I' -claim as new therein of my invention, and desire to secure by vLetters Patent, is confined tothe following, viz:

I claim the construction and application of the cam-lever A,'so that it will operate in combination with themaiu portion A. of the hook, substantially' in the manner describel for the purposes'specied.

oHnnLEs- STARBUCK..

Witnesses BENJ. MonlsoN, WM.- H. Manises. 

